NORTH BAY - A Florida couple fined $1,000 each and charged with breaching self-isolation requirements relating to the COVID-19 pandemic are permitted to move about restriction-free.
North Bay OPP Detachment Commander Bill McMullen said "July 16, 2020, is the last date of mandatory self-isolation under the Quarantine Act. Unless anything changes, no further steps will be required."
The residents of Florida made local and national news after the Public Health Agency of Canada raised concerns the couple had entered Canada at Fort Erie, Ont., and failed to self-isolate before travelling to their seasonal property in East Ferris, Ont., 20 kilometres southeast of North Bay.
July 9, the North Bay OPP received a call requesting the detachment to complete a compliance check under the Quarantine Act by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The OPP investigation revealed the two — subject to the Quarantine Act to prevent the introduction and spread of communicable diseases — had entered Canada to travel to their property in East Ferris on July 3 and the "couple were non-compliant with the mandatory 14-day self-isolation requirement upon entering Canada."
A 68-year-old and 70-year-old from Florida were charged with "Failure to Comply with an Order Prohibiting or Subjecting to any Condition the Entry into Canada" under section 58 of the Quarantine Act.
The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit advises it has been monitoring the couple during the remainder of their self-isolation period.
In a post to the Municipality of East Ferris' Facebook page, the Emergency Management Committee says it "appreciates the actions of the Canadian Public Health Agency, the Ontario Provincial Police and the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit with respect to the Florida couple who entered our Municipality and failed to comply with Canada’s Quarantine Act...The citizens of East Ferris are encouraged to continue following the public health recommendations of our Medical Officer of Health."
One respondent to that post wondered how the couple "even got over the border," while another demanded a "List of places they visited in East Ferris please while breaking quarantine including days/times so I can determine if these delinquents have potentially endangered myself or my family in their selfish, reckless carelessness."